The Wisest Man to Ever Live
King Solomon is known as the wisest man who has ever lived. He took Israel from a war-time culture to the greatest time of peace it ever knew. He established the culture to enhance the life and experience of the people.
Solomon gave insight into the wisdom he received in the book of Proverbs. Through little pearls of insight, Proverbs gives guidance to common sense. Wisdom, Solomon says, begins with the fear of the Lord.
What is the Beginning of Wisdom?
Does it surmise that if you want more wisdom, then you need more fear of the Lord? I will like to propose that the fear of the Lord is just the beginning. And, if we don’t move past this level, you will either create a set of rules for your relationship with God or give up entirely.
Why is the fear of the Lord the beginning? The fear of the Lord gets us to believe that God knows what is best even when we think we might know better. The fear of the Lord puts us into a place of humility before the Lord. The fear of the Lord puts perspective on our lives.
Teaching Obedience to Your Children
As a parent, there are times when I need my children to obey. It may be not to hit their sister. It may be not to run out into the road. It may be not to say offensive things to others. Fear is the beginning of wisdom.
Still, obedience should never be the end goal of parenting. Our goal is love. I don’t want my kids to live out of a set of rules, but I want them to be so full of love for themselves and others that they naturally overflow in love to others.
God is in Love with You.
God may be constantly watching your every move, but it is not to find some secret sin in order to punish you. God is looking for every opportunity to bless you. He loves you as an adoring Father. He can’t take His eyes off you, because you enrapture Him. His heart is ever for you. Sin is only a window into our hearts where we haven’t allow the love of God to fully touch. God fully loves you.
We need to stand in awe of God and then accept the offer to enter a relationship with Him. Jesus never spoke on the fear of God, but He constantly referred to God as a loving Father. The Jews already knew the fear; Jesus was calling them farther into the heart of God.
Let us grow up in our relationship with God. May we know His heart – His heart that wants us to love Him.